Outbreak Has UK Wards Closing Doors

(NEWSER) - Twitter and other social networks are creating a swine-flu panic out of a molehill with their instantaneous updates, Robert X. Cringely writes for InfoWorld. The quick flow of less-than-dependable information means “people with head colds decide they're really dying from a porcine-borne bug and flood emergency rooms.” And such a strain of internet-enabled paranoia could be a boon for cyberterrorists. More»

Nasty norovirus has now hit 3M; cases could spike again

(NEWSER) - A vicious bug that causes days of vomiting and diarrhea continues to wreak havoc in the UK, striking down 3 million Brits so far this winter, the Telegraph reports. Experts warn that with many returning to school and work after the holidays this week, the norovirus, which is potentially deadly to the elderly and other vulnerable groups, could hit epidemic levels. More»

Water wall linked to outbreak of Legionnaire's disease

(NEWSER) - Getting too close to a water wall or other decorative water fountain in a hospital can turn you into a patient, especially if you have underlying health problems, a new study warns. Researchers focused on a hospital in Wisconsin, where a water wall in the lobby was linked to an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease. Eight people—including a deliveryman and a man waiting to pick up his wife—were infected after inhaling bacteria-laden water droplets, researchers found. Quickly converting the water wall into a planter solved the problem. More»

It's not what you're thinking

(NEWSER) - Must've been something in the air, but dozens of people at a Playboy Mansion fundraiser earlier this month contracted a really ... nasty ... respiratory infection, and LA County public health officials are now investigating, reports the LA Times. Officials are surveying all 700 attendees of a conference called Domainfest global after reports of a rash of problems including pneumonia. More»

Florida sees first case, but officials say it's not a big threat

(NEWSER) - Cholera has made its way to US shores, but health authorities in Florida say it's no cause for alarm, CNN reports. A woman who returned from a visit to Haiti fell ill with the disease, which has now killed 1,100 people there and spread to the neighboring Dominican Republic. The woman is recovering well, and no threat is seen in the US because the disease needs poor sanitation conditions to spread. More»